and others will be the more traditional, turn it in in writing and it will be evaluated by a judge kind of contests.

here are my proposed rules for each.

please note, i will accept suggestions and feedback on these all the way up through the end of the con, but most need them during this week, while i'm initially posting them and can still officially amend them.

in scenes from a hat, each participant will write down on a scrap of paper, a phrase or sentence or word. these scraps will all be collected and each participant will reach in and grab one. whatever each gets on that scrap of paper, s/he must incorporate as a line in, title of, and/or theme of, a fanfic written there right on the spot. if someone grabs his or her own theme, this is accepted, but must be acknowledged. the group will begin with half an hour to write, and at the end of that half hour, the group will collectively decide whether they would like another fifteen minutes to finish up. up to another half hour total will be permitted, based on the consensus of the group. ten minutes will then be provided for each author to beta-read his/her own work (apply proofreading and editing to it).

after a 5 to 10 minute break, we will reconvene and each in turn will read his /her own fic aloud, beginning and ending with informing the crowd of the text on the scrap of paper s/he'd selected.

winners will be evaluated by participants, and by me. categories will include best writing, best performance, and best incorporation of assigned theme.

(b) story story die! contestants will be grouped into teams. each team will decide for itself a fandom (a show, game, manga, etc. with which they all have at least some familiarity, or can brief each other about). someone will start orally composing a fanfic. the facilitator will then at some point interrupt that person and point to the next, who will have to pick up the storyline exactly where the other left off, but may take it in absolutely any (non x rated) direction from there. a participant who gets stumped has to act out dying a dramatic death, selected for them by another participant or audience member. prizes will be awarded by participants, audience and facilitator, and will include best individual performance, best team effort, and best 'death'.

II. fanfiction bedtime stories!! everyone's sentimental favorite returns a fic may be read by its author, or anyone else the author permits. authors may also turn in fics for others to read. participants, audience and judge will all evaluate in categories including: best reading voice best costume, best props, best overall performance (see fanfic theatre, below) best in genre: comedy parody drama game-based and/or other non-anime based fic and.....everyone will be invited to create categories for mock prizes. these categories can be anything anyone wishes, so long as they are not insulting nor x-rated. it could be anything from best fic to read aloud to woo a date, to best fic to cheer you up that at least your life isn't that bad, etc. etc. folks will be encouraged to draw their own appropriate certificates embodying the theme of their mock-award titles and give them to the authors/readers!

of note is that this event also features free bedtime snacks, and that folks are encouraged to come in comfy pj's. we really do go all night long, and "adult-themed" material is encouraged after curfew (midnight, 17+ or accompanied by parent/guardian).

fanfiction theatre, like fanfiction bedtime stories, is a kumoricon original. the idea is for us to cosplay our own and others' fics!

since the idea is just beginning to catch on, this year it's going to be a subsection of fanfiction bedtime stories (unless a bunch of people are committed ahead of time to doing it and want it to be at a separate time...in which case, let me know ASAP please!).

some performances will be by individuals. some will be by duos or groups.

performances may be live, or they may be pre-recorded. (it is my belief that the executive center rooms come equipped with a built in dvd/vhs player. if the recording is online, the performer(s) would need to bring a computer).

those sending in pre-recorded material because they are unable to attend should send only a copy, not an original, as i am unable to guarantee a safe or swift return of the material.

prizes will be determined by public acclaim as well as by my judging.

categories will include: best writing best acting most fun to watch best costumes best props closest resemblance to character (this could be in looks, costume/props or mannerisms) overall most impressive.

those wishing to include music will need to bring their own supplies for that.

anything that would, if in a movie, lead to an X or NC-17 rating will be restricted to after curfew (midnight, 17+ or accompanied by parent/guardian). but yaoi and yuri plots are welcome before then too.

any work that matches visual art to storyline will be accepted in this contest as a form of manga.

preference will be given to those which are anime-inspired, but all will be accepted.

both works that are derivative of canonic material (i.e., that are based on stuff that already exists in the professional worlds of anime, manga and/or gaming), and works that are completely original, will be accepted. these will be evaluated as separate categories. those which are based on others' works must contain some acknowledgement that they are based on those works. those which are originals should be labelled as such.

those which have digital art will be evaluated separately from those which have non-digital art.

non-digital black and white will be evaluated separately from non-digital color.

there is no minimum length. one page beginnings to proposed longer works will be accepted.

there is no maximum length. however, i urge those whose manga are more than just a couple pages to turn them in ahead of time.

the pre-con manga contest category deadline for works of more than 10 pages is august 19. this is because i will be gone aug 23-30.

manga longer than 10 pages will still be accepted at the con, through 10pm sunday night. however, i will be evaluating as a separate category, any full-length manga received after deadline; and if there are many long ones turned in at the last minute, it is possible that i might not be able to have them all judged until a week or two after the con.

there are no restrictions on type of art accompanying the storyline--for example, painting, drawing, photo, collage, you name it.

********there will be paper, pencils, pens, markers, and crayons available all weekend for free in the fan creation station, specifically for the fanfic, art and manga contests..............there will be a special prize for best beginning of a manga created on site!***********

artist and storyboard composer may be the same person(s) or different person(s).

i will also accept hybrids......that is to say, a storyline from within canon but with characters of your own creation, or characters from within canon in storylines of your own creation. just remember to credit!

no maximum page length....but.... works that have multiple chapters (unless under 6 pages), and works that are 10 pages or more, will be considered to be in the "novella category".

because of what happened last year (which included a contestant turning in a 79 page novella right at deadline), i am going to have 2 separate novella evaluations. one will be for works turned in before a pre-con deadline which applies only to novellas and to long manga: august 19. the reason for this deadline is i will be traveling aug 23-30.

novellas turned in before this date will be judged in one batch from which a winner will be selected and announced at closing ceremonies. novellas turned in after this date will be accepted until the overall deadline of 10 pm during fanfic bedtime stories on sunday night, but will not be read or evaluated until after the con.

i reserve the right to add additional prize categories as i see fit, based on the nature of the materials submitted. for example, last year we were pleasantly surprised to receive 7 invader zim fics! so, i simply created an invader zim category

the following are the categories i have in mind to start: by genre: comedy parody drama game-based fic zim/other non-anime -based fic

yuri and yaoi are welcome, but unless there are multiple submissions will not be a separate category, but just viewed as a comedy, drama or whatever fits.

by skill level: most professional writing skills--this will include spelling, grammar, punctuation, paragraphing, character continuity, storyline development, plot clarity, and presentation (as one whole)

by thoroughness: best backstory: backstory is not required, but is greatly appreciated. backstory here refers to giving the reader information about whatever you're writing about. this could include information about the show (or game or manga or dating sim or...) on which you've based your fic: specifics about the characters, such as: physical descriptions, emotional relationships amongst them, and motivations; technical details about the canonic material's universe (such as what is a clow card or how one ends up in the universe of the four gods or what it means to be a duelist); and my personal favorite: why a fic means something to you specifically.

backstory may be incorporated as a forward, as footnotes, and/or as endnotes.

again, it is not required. but, it is my second-favorite category. this is largely because one of my primary goals is to spread the love of fanfic far and wide, including among people who have been exposed to very little anime.......so i want fics to be as accessible to newbies as possible.

which brings us to my favorite category: best newbie ........................authors are encouraged to identify, on their fics, if this is the very first time they have entered any type of contest, and/or if this is the first time they have had anyone else read their fics.

at the end of the weekend, i will announce an overall best newbie prize.....this will incorporate not only written work but also, potentially, reading aloud and performing in the other events, visual art, and, lending a hand to keeping things running in the room (errands, facilitating or creating events, etc.)

i will also have an award for most helpful......person who overall contributed the most to the running of the fan creation station and its events all con.

written submissions that are turned in prior to august 19 may be turned in online or by snail mail (post or pm for info).

written submissions turned in at the con must be in print.

however, there will be free access to a computer and printer in the little business nook at the front door of the con hotel. be prepared, though, for potentially long lines to access it.

best of luck to everyone! and remember, all these rules are open to your suggestions and feedback at any time, and especially during this week!

So....we can turn it in e-mail or snail mail? Where do we put what category we are entering it in? On a seperate peice of paper not part of the story along with if were a newbie or not? Oh, and the background information, we don't have to put it into our story but have it like on another peice of paper right? And i think i should put if it's finished or not on that peice of extra paper to, ne?

Mines all ready to turn in if thats the case, so what are the snail mail and e-mail addresses, and if we turn it in Snail Mail, can i get an e-mail back confirming they got it just in case?

So....we can turn it in e-mail or snail mail? Where do we put what category we are entering it in? On a seperate peice of paper not part of the story along with if were a newbie or not? Oh, and the background information, we don't have to put it into our story but have it like on another peice of paper right? And i think i should put if it's finished or not on that peice of extra paper to, ne?

Mines all ready to turn in if thats the case, so what are the snail mail and e-mail addresses, and if we turn it in Snail Mail, can i get an e-mail back confirming they got it just in case?

(a) yes, email or snail mail. (b) because i am anticipating a large number of entries and will be running around the con alot with them, i would prefer to have as few pieces of paper as possible. therefore write all identifying and clarifying pieces of info (your contact info, proposed genres, newbie or not, and backstory) either on the fic itself (in the margins or on the back) or all together on separate paper, but not a separate page for each if that makes sense. (there is no limit to length of backstory.)(c) i will pm you snail mail if you choose that route. email is rem_saverem_was_right@yahoo.com

For e-mail submissions, do you prefer them in attachments or in the body of the message? Would you like us to send each story individually or as many as we can at a time? How do we put the identifying factors on e-mail submissions? And do we put what catagory we want them entered into or is that your call?

For e-mail submissions, do you prefer them in attachments or in the body of the message? Would you like us to send each story individually or as many as we can at a time? How do we put the identifying factors on e-mail submissions? And do we put what catagory we want them entered into or is that your call?

(a) please please please i am begging, have mercy on me. please send submissions in the text of a message. the reason is that i do not have my own computer, printer, online access, etc. at home. i have to pay to get on a computer and use a printer, or use ones that i can access free briefly, like at the bank or library....and i have found that many of the free ones do not offer the ability to open attachments; i have even been unable to open some attachments at school or the welfare office. thank you, therefore, for the query!

definitely inline text, not attachments!

(b) i suppose it would be easier for me if the stories were each in separate emails, so that i could print them separately with no overlap while using double sided printing, and be able to pile them in different piles by genre that way.

separate emails per story, then

(c) i would recommend that you just enter whatever info you would have written at the top of an offline copy, at the top of the text. if you prefer, you could send a separate email with backstory

Spelling and grammer counts, but does it count against you if your character is speaking in slang. So instead of saying, "Mamoru and I" they can say "Me and Mamoru." because thats how pople talk. And instead of 'going" they might say it as 'goin'

Spelling and grammer counts, but does it count against you if your character is speaking in slang. So instead of saying, "Mamoru and I" they can say "Me and Mamoru." because thats how pople talk. And instead of 'going" they might say it as 'goin'

~Kimiski

thank you for a very logical question.

if you are writing in slang, colloquialisms, poor grammar/diction, jargon/patois, cliches, offensive terms, off-color jokes, etc., because that is how a character would speak, this is an excellent example of the need for "backstory". be sure that you preface (or conclude) your story with a sentence, paragraph or whatever amount of space you feel you need, contextualizing for me, the judge, the reason for the manner of speech. the fact of the matter is that i come into anime as a professional beta (that is to say, i have proofread and edited magazines, newspapers, even text books, for years, but only recently became exposed to anime). therefore most of the contestants will have vastly more anime knowledge than i, and i will be looking to each for some background info on the characters and universe about which they write. it is not required, but backstory is strongly advised, and also constitutes its own prizewinning category.

so the short answer is: no, there is no penalty for writing in character; if i KNOW you are writing in character, you will get brownie points for it (so long as it doesn't just feel overdone or trite).

I was wondering if there was a maximum amount of entries you can make ^^ Let me know

~Emily

i try to be as accessible and flexible and easy-going about the contests as possible, to have as many participants as possible, as comfortably as possible. but, i also try to get all the judging done by closing ceremonies.

therefore, i ask that participants limit entries to three per category. that is to say you could enter 3 parodies and 3 songfics but please not 6 of either.

those who wish to submit multiple novellas and/or manga should try to have at least one in before the suggested date of august 19